DGCA approves RPTO for agri-drone training at PJTSAU

Rangareddy: To add more wings to the idea of upgrading the crop management skills among the farmers in the State, the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) gave its nod for the establishment of a Remote Pilot Training Organisation (RPTO) in the Drone Academy at Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University, Rajendra Nagar.

The fresh development came at a time when the Drone Academy was in the stage of getting shape at the Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University (PJTSAU) Rajendra Nagar.

The approval of RPTO to impart agri-drone training to farmers, diploma holders, agri graduates, and unemployed rural youths through the assistance of Marut Dronetech Private Limited, Hyderabad. According to the official release, the length of approval will last for ten years.

“The first of its kind of exclusive agriculture domain specific drone pilot training institute of PJTSAU would ensure developing skilled human resources for use of drones in agriculture and allied fields. It paves the way for the establishment of Customer Hiring Centres (CHCs) by agri-graduates, FPOs, women self-help groups, and rural entrepreneurs, thereby generating new employment avenues,” the release said.

The release further said that PJTSAU has immensely contributed to the development crop specific standard operating protocols (SOPs) for drone-based pesticide spraying in seven major crops of Telangana viz, rice, cotton, pigeonpea, groundnut, soybean, sesame, and safflower. Earlier, the whole information regarding the development of crop-specific SOPs for drone-based spraying of pesticides in major field crops was placed before the National Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, Government of India.

It is against this background of the agri-domain expertise of PJTSAU on drones, that the DGCA granted permission to ‘PJTSAU Drone Academy’ for the benefit of the farming community of the State.

This academy will be operational shortly at the old SABM building, PJTSAU Campus, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad. Subsequently, the proposed agri-drone pilot training course will be offered for six days, covering the aspects relating to drone pilot training, operational safety, risk assessment, DGCA rules and regulations, and crop-specific SOPs.